Communist China will Try to Copy Giant Soviet Aircraft Carrier in Attempt to Expand its Naval Power

The London Times | March 5, 2002 | Oliver August

[rightwing2]

CHINA has taken delivery of a Ukrainian aircraft carrier and will try to copy the decommissioned vessel in an attempt to expand its naval power

I have been saying that the PLA Navy would use Varyag as the model for their own new class of 60,000 ton aircraft carriers for the last three years. The ChiCom plan is to build three flattops with the assistance of Russian naval technicians by 2011. They already can produce four carriers simultaneously as opposed to the US ability to produce only two at the same time. I have also been stating that the ChiCom cover story of 'floating casinos' was a bogus ruse to play down the military threat that they pose in the minds of US policymakers. This represents more vindication for myself and others here on FR who have been saying the same.

The 1,000ft Varyag is the largest of at least three former Soviet carriers acquired by China.

Actually the ChiComs have acquired four Russian aircraft carriers as I have pointed on out in my earlier posts although the fourth carrier, the Kiev, may still be in transit from Russia to the PRC.

[rightwing2]

BUMP!

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

China pays 17m for giant Soviet carrier

[Gillmeister]

You were'nt by chance stationed in Okinawa, were you?

[johniegrad]

Making them is different than operating them. Good luck, they'll be behind for years.

[Dukie]

Already predicted here in "Breath of Fire"

BTW Jeff I received your e mail message

[montomike]

As an ex bubblehead, sounds like one heck of a big target. I wonder if it would take one or two MK-48 ADCAPS?

[Thud]

We should sell the Chinese a stripped, decommissioned, Enterprise if we really want to screw 'em. They'd blow so much money on trying to duplicate it that they'll never be a threat to us.

[maro]

What you say sounds like the Russian reaction to growing Japanese military preparation at the turn of the century. Red China is a present military danger, to the US and our Asian allies. We need to take steps NOW, such as (1) re-arming Japan (would get them out of recession) and having a new Imperial Navy patrolling the Pacific for us, and (2) stopping all weapons sales to the ChiCom bastards.

[vannrox]

This is a PORTION of an ABC article on this very issue...

What’s to Become of the Soviet Carrier?
The Mystery of the Varyag

WORLD HEADLINES

“It could be a great tourist attraction … with pools, restaurants. It’s gold!”
— Worker at Nikolyav Shipyard, Ukraine

ABCNEWS’ Robert Krulwich searches for the Chung Lot Travel Agency
RealVideo
(download RealPlayer)

China plans to build its first aircraft carrier in 2010.

“The whole of Southeast Asia would be nervous if China was to purchase an aircraft carrier.”
— Glenn Schloss,
South China Morning Post

Suppose a country wants to buy a giant Soviet aircraft carrier … but they don’t want anyone to know. How might they do it? (ABCNEWS.com)

ABCNEWS.com
When the Cold War sputtered to an end nine years ago, there was a lot of talk about beating swords into plowshares. But poker chips?
     In one of the more bizarre tales of post-Soviet capitalism, a ship designed to wage war might instead be used as a giant pleasure craft, complete with casino and discotheque.
    It’s an unusual use of an aircraft carrier. Even more unusual are the buyers—four travel agents whose company isn’t where they say it is, and who seem to be on familiar terms with the Chinese military.
    Is something going on?

Games of Chance
     The story begins in 1989, when the once-mighty Soviet empire began to fall apart. Many big government projects simply ground to a halt.
     One of them was a Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier called the Varyag, which was handed over to the new government of Ukraine. The Ukrainians didn’t know what to do with the 37,000-ton, three-quarters-finished ship, so they put it up for auction.
     In April, Ukrainian Trade Minister Roman Shprek announced the winning bid from a surprisingly small company called the Chong Lot Travel Agency Ltd.

Why spend $20 million for an unfinished aircraft carrier, then tug it half way around the world to open a hotel/casino? (Magellan Graphix/ABCNEWS.com)

     Chong Lot proposed to tug the Varyag out of the Black Sea, through the Suez Canal and around southern Asia to the tiny Portuguese colony of Macao, just off the Chinese coast. They said they would moor the ship in Macao’s harbor and put it to peaceful use as a floating hotel and gambling parlor.
     Local reporters noted that this was “not the most normal use for an aircraft carrier.” But even stranger is the fact that even before the deal was announced, officials in Macao had warned the Chung Lot Travel that they would not be permitted to park the huge ship in their harbor.

No One At That Address
So, if Macao had already nixed the notion of a floating entertainment complex, why did Chung Lot go ahead with plans to buy the warship?
     ABCNEWS has learned that the Chung Lot Travel Agency does not have offices in Macao—at least not at the address they gave in their bid for the Varyag. In fact, there’s no such company listed anywhere in Macao.
     It turns out that Chung Lot is owned by a Hong Kong firm called Chin Luck (Holdings) Company.
     Four of Chin Luck’s six board members hail from the same area in China—Shandong Province—which just happens to be where the Chinese Navy builds its ships. And Chin Luck’s chairman is a former career military officer with the People’s Liberation Army. Coincidence?

Who’s Buying?
The question is, who really is buying this carrier? Four travel agents with a lot of money and a dream? Or are officials of Chung Lot Travel agents for somebody else?

Click here for a closer look at the People’s Liberation Army’s business empire.

    “Logic and common sense tell us that it’s really a front for the PLA to purchase an aircraft carrier for China,” says Glenn Schloss, a reporter at Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post. The whole of Southeast Asia would be nervous if China was to purchase an aircraft carrier.”
     If the unfinished, rusting hulk of the Varyag could help China develop something like the sophisticated modern carriers that the United States likes to send into trouble spots around the world, leaders outside of Southeast Asia would be alarmed as well. No one but Beijing is eager to see China projecting its power closer to Japan and Taiwan.
     On the other hand, no one’s going to worry if a few entrepreneurs turn the flat-top into a floating discotheque —even though Macao will follow Hong Kong and become part of China in December of 1999.
     The trouble is, Chong Lot has already paid the first $2 million for the Varyag. And we still don’t know what they’re buying it for.

[John H K]

We need to take steps NOW, such as (1) re-arming Japan (would get them out of recession) and having a new Imperial Navy patrolling the Pacific for us

Japan is ALREADY re-armed, they spend as much on defense as the PRC, and the current Japanese Navy, by itself, is clearly superior to the Chinese Navy.

[Poohbah]

I have been saying that the PLA Navy would use Varyag as the model for their own new class of 60,000 ton aircraft carriers for the last three years. The ChiCom plan is to build three flattops with the assistance of Russian naval technicians by 2011.

One fast-attack with Mark 48 ADCAPs would be sufficient to settle their hash if they start feeling froggy.

[vannrox]

[vannrox]

15:22 2001-11-02

DMIRY LITVINOVICH: BUSINESS IN UKRAINE. OR VARYAG’S LAST TRIP

How pitiful it is to take leave of the USSR’s former grandeur.

The country where we were born has disappeared from geographical maps, and all we have now is to complain about unwise politicians.

At the beginning of the 80s, in Nikolaev plant building an up-to-date aircraft-carrier Varyag was launched. This was the aircraft-carrier of new generation, leaving behind American “brothers” what about technical descriptions and quantity of armament on board. In its building, unique engineering working were used, allowing to aircraft to take off practically without starting run.

The ship was prepared to 80 percent, when the USSR collapsed.

After sharing the Black Sea Fleet, the unfinished ship passed to Ukraine. Of course, Ukraine did not have money to complete the building. The ship was gradually rusting, costly equipment was removed from it, while other details were stolen.

Ukraine tried to sell what remained from the ship, though it did not find any serious buyers. Finally, a buyer appeared. That was a Chinese businessman who decided to turn the ship into a kind of floating casino.

In its first and last trip to Chinese coast, Varyag should go this summer, though because of Turkey’s disagreement to let the ship pass through Bosporus, the trip was put off. Today, according to telegraph agencies, all contradictions are settled, and the ship went though Bosporus. 16 pilots were piloting the ship, while 250 people were guaranteeing its security from shore.

Why China needs the ship is unknown, though there is a rumour China has some troubles in its aircraft-carrier programme.

Lack of qualified staff and of experience in building ships of such a level does not allow to China to claim to world power standard. They probably, need the ship as a kind of visual aids. If China obtains what it plans, then in 5-10 years its ambitions will become a headache for Russia.

Russia does not have funds for its fleet’s modernization, all the more for building a new one. Something is being done, though it is not enough. Why Russia did not buy the unfinished aircraft-carrier to complete its building? And now we could only regret the ship with its proud name “Varyag” has been turned into a gambling-den.

Dmitry Litvinovich

[Rebelbase]

The U.S. should convince France to offer the ChiComms help in buiding aircraft carriers.

[thepainster]

Would they build thier carries from scratch, or just finish building out the Russian ships?

[vannrox]

[Rebelbase]

I'd say it looks like were at about 1934-1935 right now?

[John H K]

This was the aircraft-carrier of new generation, leaving behind American “brothers” what about technical descriptions and quantity of armament on board.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! The ship was prepared to 80 percent, when the USSR collapsed.

It's not "80% complete" if there are no electronics, machinery, or hydraulics on board.

And there were NO protective steps ("mothballing" if you've seen a US mothball shipyard) taken when construction stopped. Hatches were left open all over the ship, water got in everywhere, sucker rusted like a mo-fo.

[Jeff Head]

In the new novel, Dragon's Fury - Breath of Fire, , the Red Chinese use the construction of two such vessels as a cover for other efforts equally disturbing.

Dragon's Fury - Breath of Fire
A Novel of the coming Third World War